Would any member of this forum care to recommend some retrofittable parking sensors.
1. Rear parking sensors, should be able to detect low walls.
2. Front parking sensors, need to be accurate at front "corners " of the car.
Like many vehicles these days, you can't really judge where the front left corner of the car is and when reversing in to a kerb side space this is critical as you swing the front in, Same when coming out.
3, Colour coding should be available for the sensors.
4. Front sensors should have some intelligence as to when they are active, so as to avoid constant bleeping in stop/start traffic.
Recommendations welcome.
Guy
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There are plenty of different parking sensors available on ebay. I have bought several different sets and all have worked well. The biggest problem in fitting is the removal of large internal plastic liners covering the boot area. Otherwise rear sensors are just connected to the reversing light cable and an earth.
To answer your points in order:
1. I would suggest using 4 sensors to the rear as they are more accurate than a pair.
2. Most sensors make different sounds depending on how close the object is. On my set the closer it is the faster the beat, until at about 10cm/4ins it is continuous.
3. Sensors can come in a selection of basic colours or you can spray paint them to match the car.
4. Front sensors, if you decide to fit them, MUST be disabled by a switch in normal driving otherwise you will continually set them off in stop go traffic or at pedestrian crossings.
To fit rear sensors will take an hour to an hour and a half. The kits usually come with a hole cutter to drill the bumper. I cannot comment about front sensors as I have never fitted or used them. I would suggest starting with rear sensors and once used to them consider fitting fronts if you need them.
Hope this helps.
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Roger
A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.
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If its any help, I know you can buy rear sensors which are built into a number plate surround-you remove exisitng number plate, drill small hole for cable then mount the holder with the sensors built in onto the existing number plate holes, then mount the number plate on the surround. From what I have read they are quite good.
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I have had BREES 4 sensor kits on my last and current car. They have a pleasant OEM chime instead of a shrill beep. I hide the display behind the boot trim. I just rely on the chimes.
Something like...
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2800...5
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Would certainly recommend rear sensors, but rely on old fashioned driving skill to know where the front of my car is. The Outback had rear's retrofitted by the dealer and includes a module attached to the rear pillar so I can see it in the internal mirror and it goes green, yellow, red as you get closer to the obstacle. Very handy when you have children in the car screaming down your left ear.
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Seat of the pants. Ears.
Gentle bumping, scraping and so on usually indicate when you are too close to the car in front or behind.
:oD
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Thanks I would have them fitted by local engineer (whatever I go for) - Xvision has been recommended. anyone know this make?
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Don't become too reliant on them either.
I have banged into a few things which were offset and the sensors didn't pick them up (ie just because the sensors don't pick anything up doesn't mean there isn't anything there). Having said that I do find them very useful in my estate car and the wife's MPV although seeing them on Ford Ka sized cars seems a little OTT.
Last week, in the evening, I drove home and slipped the car into reverse and the reverse sensors went off. I thought that was just the cars to the side as I was lining up to parallel park. A bit surprised when I started reversing that I heard a bump and a thud, and a cyclist was up my exhaust pipe!!
{As an aside - fortunately he was OK, as this was all v. low speed, but he did ask whether I had seen him or not, which always strikes me as a bit strange as I never intentionally try and run people over!! I did say no I hadn't and that was probably because he was in dark clothes and didn't have a light, to which he responded that he did have a light on the back and that his front one wasn't working!!}
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Can't imagine how front sensors would work for the procedure you are referring to ie. parallel parking. When doing this, the corner of the car is usually turning in at such a sharp angle that the one sensor in that corner really isn't going to be able to tell you anything.
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